Biking and fishing in heart and soul

Since the city of Skellefteå is surrounded by world-class wilderness and fishing waters, it is only natural to have a world-class outdoor living shop too. At Cykel- och fiskecenter all the staff are outdoor living enthusiasts — in both heart and soul.

Taggar

Shape

Close to nature

Season

Året runt

Place

Skellefteå

Ted Logardt

Redaktionen

At Cykel- och fiskecenter — in both heart and soul.

Since the city of Skellefteå is surrounded by world-class wilderness and fishing waters, it is only natural to have a world-class outdoor living shop too. At Cykel- och fiskecenter all the staff are outdoor living enthusiasts — in both heart and soul.

It’s about thinking long-term and often out of the box, Tommy says, looking up from a box of new arrivals from one of the major outdoor living brands. Tommy is the proprietor of one of Skellefteå’s most dedicated shops, focusing on outdoor living.

— Well, on cycling and fishing, he corrects me. The Cycling and Fishing Centre, that’s what the
shop’s Swedish name translates to. And all the people who work there can really be described as true outdoor living enthusiasts.
— With expert skills, Tommy adds.

FISHERMEN AND CYCLISTS

The expert skills are part of the ambition to think outside the box.
— With us, you won’t meet any sales representatives. Not in the traditional sense. First and foremost, we are passionate cyclists or fishermen. This means that you are just as likely to find us out by some fishing water or on a bicycle along a winding log drivers’ trail, as you are to find us amongst the store shelves. We believe that we become a better company if we hire people who have practical, real-world experience with our products.

According to Tommy, this makes the company trustworthy and provides unique opportunities.
— Our ambition is to always have answers to our customers’ queries — no matter how technically challenging they may be. That is of course highly demanding but it also means that if we succeed, we have a good chance of building long-term relationships with our customers.

GREAT OPPORTUNITIES

Cykel- och fiskecenter is an independent store. They have decided to keep it that way and this means that they alone decide what is on their shelves.
— An important driving force is the quest to find products that we like ourselves. We go our own way, with all what that entails. Maybe it’s a bit like cycling through a forest. You have to choose your own path. It gives a nice feeling of freedom.

Skellefteå is an amazing and ideal place to run an outdoor shop. There are vast forests, long trails, mires and rugged landscapes alongside five rivers — each with their own unique characteristics — more than 1,500 lakes and meres and innumerable brooks, as well as the longest coastline of the Gulf of Bothnia.

— If you just look at fishing, of course salmon fishing is a big thing. According to me, the Byske River is the best salmon river in the country. The Skellefteå region is also home to some of the nation’s most inventive pike fishers and lots of great waters for grayling and trout fishing. There is also the mountain world and all that it holds, just a few hours away.

TAG ALONG

In practice, Tommy’s philosophy means that the shop extends well beyond their facilities at Södra Järnvägsgatan 47.
— Customers are more than welcome to hire a bike and tag along with us. We usually go out three, four times a week. Spontaneous forest excursions. Nothing fancy but it’s a great opportunity to try it out.

Tommy also reveals that if you buy a fly fishing kit from them you are invited to an introductory fishing trip.
— We are leasing a nearby lake where we will give you a short introduction, to pitching techniques as well as fly fishing methods.

Running a physical store without an online shop in 2017 presents challenges — but also opportunities.
— We can’t compete by offering the lowest prices but if we can exceed people’s expectations when we meet them, we are convinced that we can offer something you won’t find in any online store.